Chapter Text
Juyeon raised a hand in front of his eyes, blocking the blinding sunlight. He wasn't exactly a morning person, and he hated intense lights, but they were in a hurry. They had to find him at as soon as possible.
The boy sighed. He'd probably give up by now, considering they didn't have anything besides their gifts - or curses, according to his younger best friend - to reach their goal. But it was exactly because of his… gift that he had so much hope. He could feel it, he could feel him. He knew he was around somewhere, and that he'd be vital for something he wasn't sure yet. He wasn't the only one, but he had an important role, and more importantly, Juyeon knew he was in danger. He had to be found soon.
He heard metallic noises behind him and didn't need to look at it to know who the new person on the roof was. He could sense his presence.
“You got it?”, he asked, to which Chanhee nodded coldly. In one of his hand was a drone, in the other, its controller. Juyeon smiled teasingly. “You don't need that.”
Chanhee rose a brow. “What, the controller?”, he rolled his eyes at his same age friend. He would punch him if he didn't have both hands busy, walking next to him quietly instead. “You do know I need to concentrate to make it work, and we might need it to fly out of my range. We have no idea where he is except he's in Seoul, and it's huge. We could stay here all day in vain.”
He positioned the drone on the floor and initiated it, the white machine floating in a matter of seconds. He then handed the device to the slightly older boy.
“Wanna control it or do I do it?”
Juyeon stared at Chanhee. “You're better at it than I am. I'll just tell you if I feel something.”
He nodded, and the drone flew away.
“You spaced out again, hyung.”
Sangyeon opened his eyes slowly. He was at Kevin's, him and the foreigner kid practising some of their songs out of boredom. They were looking for a guitarist and had found one person who might be perfect for the role, yet the boy was a bit late. Very bad first impression.
He touched his face. He's been doing it a lot, spacing out randomly and even sleeping sometimes. It was weird, he slept perfectly well, yet he felt tired all the time. Maybe it was because of their intense practices, he had considered. But it felt too much for that, so there must be--
Oh, yes, he's been… having those dreams. He wasn't sure of what, the pictures in his mind were so chaotic. There was so much yellow, so much red, but he didn't manage to find some familiar shape. He was sure at some point the colours went dark though, it was creepy, in a way. He was certain there was more in it, maybe some important detail, but he never managed to look at it. Or, if he did, he didn't remember it once he was awake.
That could be why he's been so weird recently. It was bothering him way too much.
“Hey, ahjussi, you spacing out again? The competition is soon, will we have to find another vocalist too?”, Kevin smiled slyly. “Well, I do have a honey voice and-- hey, put it down hyung, it was a joke!”
The older man threw a pillow at him and quickly started running after his dongsaeng to prove him he was pretty healthy and young, thank you very much. The Canadian was as fast as him though, if not faster, and wasn't caught once. They stayed like that for a few moments until someone knocked at the door, Kevin stopping to look at its direction. “Ah, it must be him! Come in!”
The Korean man stopped chasing the younger to look at the door too, a very cute but tall boy appearing shyly into the room. “Hello? Is Kevin here?”
“Jacob!”
He sighed but kept smiling. “It's hyung for you.”
Kevin giggled. “There isn't such thing in Canada”, he remarked in English, Sangyeon understanding only part of it.
The new face - Jacob, the youngest had said - looked at him finally, eyes locking. The older felt a shiver in the back of his neck suddenly but couldn't not look at him. He didn't know what was that feeling but was certain the other boy felt it as well, staring back at him, smile now gone. He couldn't name it, but it was like a warning of something that would happen. Yet, at the same time, it felt like it was connecting him to the stranger. He felt like that with Kevin too but didn't remember it being this intense, since it's been so long. But it definitely felt familiar.
Kevin looked at both his older friends, realization hitting him. “Oh? Are you two--”, he then smiled knowingly. “I know what's going on.”
He didn't. None of them knew what was going on, nor what would come from them. But if Sangyeon’s intuition was right, it wouldn't be something good, nor happy. And that scared him.
He had fainted again. Damn.
Hyunjun got up weakly, looking around, a bit confused. It was already morning and he was the only one in the room. As it’s always been. He sighed and got up. Giving a glare at the calendar, he realized the deadline was soon, way too soon. He didn't like it, but he had no option but keep going. He wasn't in his perfect shape yet and time was running. He must keep going.
“Little master”, a voice said from the door behind but he didn't care. He knew it was more than time for a break but he kept practising the instructions he probably knew by heart now, he had to be perfect. It was what they told him, and what they expected of him. “Little master Hyunjun”, he heard again, fiercer this time, which made him give a quick glare at its owner. The woman by the door sighed. “You weren't in your room so I thought you would be here. You shouldn't overdo yourself, it's not healthy.”
The young kid rolled his eyes. His maid didn't understand so he didn't bother explaining it to her. She knew that'd be his reaction anyway, it was like that every time. Both sides were familiar with the pattern now.
“At least take a bath and eat. You won’t go anywhere without proper rest and feeding.”
He stared at her, ready to turn her down, but he was starving. He nodded at her, telling he'd be in the dining room in ten. She tried her best to hide her big motherly smile - she felt more like a mother than his real mom - and nodded, leaving the practice room.
Hyunjun was about to follow her but suddenly felt like he was being watched from afar, which made him pause and tense up. Sure, the building had cameras at every corner, he grew used to it. But it still felt creepy, and the feeling came from the window out of every place. He was on one of the highest rooms, this wasn’t right, couldn't be right. And it couldn't be his imagination, it wouldn't be the first time his gut made him feel things, leaving his hype aware of his surroundings. And his gut was never wrong.
He turned to look.
He's fucked up. He's fucked up once more, and he had promised himself he'd never let it happen again. Shit.
Sunwoo put on his hoodie, not wanting to draw any attention. He's already got way too much of it for one day, he didn't want more, couldn't have more of it. He was supposed to be like a ghost. It wasn't even a matter of hiding himself anymore, it was a matter of keeping people near him safe.
He sighed. He was glad it was too late, as nobody was in the train's carriage with him. He sighed again, putting his favourite rapper's song and rested his head on the wall behind it. Everything was going to be alright, he told himself. Maybe it didn't seem so, but it could be worst, so he shouldn't complain. Just keep trying to stay hidden as you've been doing. Sure it didn't work today, but there were so many days that you managed to scape, right? Today was just a bad day. It would get better, he told himself.
He opened his eyes slowly and realized the train wasn't moving. He didn't think of much of it first, closing his eyes again, but once he reopened them he noticed it wasn't on a stop, besides, he didn't feel the brake. If it was an emergency, or if something had forced the train to stop, he'd probably notice the brake. Besides this, everything seemed normal, but… considering there wasn't anyone nor anything but him in the carriage it was hard to point it out by himself. It was confusing, yet Sunwoo tried to keep calm. He could be paranoid, it was normal for people like him.
A song suddenly started playing loudly on the nearest carriage, loud enough for him to hear it even with his headphones. If everything seemed normal before, the whole situation was giving him the creeps now. He felt cold all of sudden as he started panicking, had he been found? Was he going to go missing, like his childhood friend?
But then why would they play a song? That'd just put him on guard, just like how he was right now, and he'd run away. It couldn't be it. Something else was up.
He looked at the door's window, not sure what was going on. And it only made him even more confused, frowning at the scene.
Was he.. was that boy dancing?
…
Haknyeon breathed in and out, his speaker next to him. It was late, only one couple on his carriage, and they seemed to be getting ready to leave the next station. Great, he grinned to himself. He didn't want anyone to witness it.
They soon left, hands in hands, but the boy remained still, waiting until the doors close, in case someone got inside the train. It eventually closed, the boy the only one inside. He breathed in once more, it was the best timing, now or never.
He'd realized that he had a gift only recently, a couple of months ago, but never really tried to use it in large scale. He had tested it here and there, but it was something so small it didn't require much concentration, neither it was challenging. There was no one around now, he could push his boundaries without being found. Well, the worst that could happen would be someone step in and him getting all embarrassed, but they'd not realize he was one of those with special abilities. He could deal with it and then he'd laugh at the memory of it a few weeks later, but would remain hidden. It was perfect.
He sighed, eyes closed, concentrating fully on his goal. Stop, stop, stop. Time, stop.
He opened his eyes. Nothing seemed out of ordinary, his first thought was that he'd failed. But then, giving a closer look, the train wasn't moving. Not only that, the hanging strappers were crooked, as in they were moving with the train but stopped midway, against the law of gravities. That could only mean one thing, and the boy loudly gasped.
He… he did it! He actually did it!
Well. Time to test his concentration. He turned the speaker on to any music and let his body move freely. Half of it passed and, looking around, all seemed the same. He's been doing well, he supposed. He kept with his dancing, turning around the corridor, eyes half open. His sight crossed with another boy's, and he stopped breathing, fear and confusion growing into him. What? He was sure time was still frozen, at least within the entire train. But that boy, he was definitely moving, hands now on the window that separated their carriages.
Who was he, and how did he do that?
“Finally alone”, Eric said out loud, smiling at himself. He stopped by an alley, holding his skate in one hand and a cup of coca cola in the other, a bag of paper between his lips. Sometimes he wished he had three hands. That, or telekinesis. It'd be cool too, but he was stuck with his boring curse.
He quietly sat down, opening the bag and getting hands into a burger. His favourite.
In theory, he shouldn't eat it. He was told, even if indirectly, that he was disgusting even since he first entered school, and he used to care about it. Words of him saying he was too short, too fat, too ugly, too stupid. He had grown, though, and now he couldn't care less about them. But it still ached inside every time he looked at himself in the mirror or went to eat out. He tried to be strong, but it wasn't always effective.
He looked at the food. It looked back at him. His stomach hurt, he was hungry. But, he wondered, someone could step by. Another voice inside told the first one to fuck itself, that it shouldn't matter. But it wasn't a matter of them being right or not, but rather, what if they find him and decide to punish him for existing?
He slapped his cheek lightly, but it still made a noise. It's just a burger. His favourite burger, yes, but whatever. He should just enjoy it, he thought, taking it in hands, ready to bite it.
A random boy suddenly appeared in front of him, startling him. Since when has he been in the alley? It took him a while for the other to spot him though, but when he did he stared down at him. Eric stared back, too scared to move. He didn't know him, he could be different from his classmates. But he didn't know him, he could be disgusted by him at first glare anyway.
The stranger opened his mouth.
…
Changmin was tired. He was done with everyone and everything.
He hadn't got the role. Like, seriously? He could beat everyone in the dance club by a blink of an eye. Literally. He had tried his best not only to master his dance but to do it seem ordinary yet fascinating, by normal people's standards. He breathed for that place, yet that's how he's treated? He wasn't given the role, he didn't even have a minor role either. He was basically one of the back dancers of the back dancers. It wasn't fair.
Maybe if his dance teacher didn't disappear suddenly, leaving the worst student ever with her spot only because she's been with the team the longest. That sunbae hated his guts, for some reason.
Whatever, he suddenly thought. He put on his music, slowly feeling its beat. Changmin looked around, there was no one in the alley. He smiled to himself, dancing to the beat, slowly at first.
The song got faster, and so did he. The dust around him starting to float around him, as he was moving fast, too fast but he didn't care. He needed to feel the adrenaline, it always made him feel better and forget all he had to deal with. Changmin smiled to himself, mind lost in the music, lungs moving around beautifully.
He turned, then stopped. There was a boy frozen in movement, staring intensely at him.
He was startled for some seconds, staring silently at the (younger? he seemed younger) boy who was about to eat his sandwich. He cleared his throat. “What-- what are you doing here, kid?”
Changmin waited, and waited, and kept waiting. Yet the kid kept staring at him with his mouth shut, clearly in shock. It made the dancer worried, has he seen all of that? Did he see him using his speed, or had he just noticed he was there now?
He hasn't been found once, about his gift, so he didn't know how to deal with this situation. “Uh, how much have you--”
“Holy shit", he finally said, voice weak. Wait, was that English? “Oh my God, you're like me. That's why you appeared out of nowhere”, he explained himself, now in Korean.
The boy standing kept staring down at the other, blinking in confusion. What did he mean by that?, he thought.
The boy put his untouched burger inside the paper bag, getting up to smile at Changmin. “Sorry for intruding, I can't help it. Your secret's safe with me”, he said, pointing to his head.
He shivered. Did he just-- What was going on?
He breathed in, eyeing the man a few meters in front of him. Oh, not him, Younghoon thought.
Was he stalking him or something? He was tired of seeing him so much lately. Or, at all. They had parted ways a long time ago and did not need to deal with shit from someone else's paw. They had nothing to do with him anymore, Lee Jaehyun had nothing to do with him anymore, so he should just quit it and leave the past behind. Just like he did.
He kept on walking, pretending he hadn't seen the younger. Maybe, in the end, it was a just coincidence, Seoul was big but not much. He passed through him hoping he hadn't been noticed.
He knew was wrong.
“Wait, Younghoon-ah.”
He stopped, slowly turning to the owner of the voice. He looked sad, maybe even desperate, and deep down it hurt him. But he had no business with him, so he shouldn't have such thoughts. He should've just gone away like his initial plan was. “The hell you want this time”, he deadpanned, voice full of poison.
Jaehyun licked his lips, nervous. He knew there wasn't much use to reason with Younghoon, at least not right now with the wound so fresh, yet he also knew depending on his words it'd be the start to him to recover from it. “Please give it a second thought. You know what's going on, you know better than any of us, we need you. Hell, he needs you.”
The slightly older one frowned at those words. “It didn't seem like it before, and I'm sure it doesn't seem like it now.”
“Younghoon, please.”
Jaehyun stared at him, and he could tell everything he didn't manage to voice. They've been really close in the past, as much as it was not the case anymore Younghoon could still read him perfectly.
“There's something really wrong, with all of it. You were the one they trusted the most, yet you were also the one who knew first whenever something was off. There is something big, disastrous going on and I alone can't fix it.”
He scoffed. “Since when do you care? Maybe it'd be better like that in the end.”
If he looked desperate before, Jaehyun was now panicking, eyes pleading. “What.. Younghoon-ah, just listen to yourself, this isn't you. You're the most caring person ever, so why..?"
His answer never came. He walked away, not looking back once.
“Younghoon-ah!”
This wasn't about him anymore.
